How to Write 叹 (tàn) — Meaning “to sigh”

Picture a person opening their mouth (口) to let out a long sigh, and then they do it "again" (又) because they are tired. This combines the mouth action with the idea of repetition, helping you recall that 叹 means 'to sigh'.

The stroke order is: vertical, horizontal fold, horizontal (for 口), then horizontal hook, and finally a diagonal stroke (for 又). A common mistake is making the 口 too wide or writing the 又 too close to the top, so keep the 口 narrow and centered with the 又 slightly below its middle.

叹 means 'to sigh' and uses a mouth radical plus 又, while 口 is simply the word 'mouth' and is a standalone character. 卟 (bǔ) is rare and means 'to divine' or is used in transliteration; visually, 叹 has an extra component on the right, whereas 卟 has a different right component (卜). Focus on the right side to tell them apart.

叹 is most common in expressions like 叹气 (tàn qì, 'to heave a sigh') and 感叹 (gǎn tàn, 'to sigh with emotion'). It is used when someone expresses sadness, regret, or admiration through a deep breath. Culturally, sighing can also show frustration or relief, and these words appear frequently in daily conversation and literature.

Common words containing 叹 include: 叹气 (tàn qì) — to sigh; 感叹 (gǎn tàn) — to sigh / to exclaim; 叹息 (tàn xī) — to sigh.